The abhorrent murder of Naftali, Eyal and Gil-ad requires a tough response. Blowing up the homes of the terrorists, a few hours after the bodies were discovered, was a just, necessary, legal and moral action, as was the re-arrest of terrorists who had been freed in the Schalit deal. After the bodies were found, the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet met to discuss potential responses, toward both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. The brutal killing of the teens has obligated Israel to carry out unique response and punishment actions. But these should not serve as a substitute for an all-encompassing policy. Given recent diplomatic and security developments, the Israeli government must hold a serious discussion about the country's foreign policy and its relations both with neighboring Arab countries and the Arab population that lives within Israel's borders. The murder of the teens is another example of cruel Islamic terror, which is running rampant these days in our neighborhood, including in Syria and Iraq, among other places. Israel must fight Hamas, but a look at the killing fields in Syria, Iraq and Egypt leads to the understanding that the Islamic threat poses a far graver danger to us than Hamastan in the Gaza Strip does. Israel's military response will not stop in Halhul or at the homes of the terrorists who killed the teens. Hamas as a whole, including both its military and political wings, must be made to pay. The attempt to differentiate between Hamas' military and political wings is ridiculous. Those who provide inspiration, give orders or celebrate the shedding of our blood, are no less culpable than those who press the trigger of a pistol or rocket launcher. But after Hamas pays the price, the Israeli government needs to deliberate on the formulation of a long-term policy. And both the leftist and rightist components of the government must take part in this. I hear the voices of those calling for the construction of a new community at the location where the bodies were found. Indeed, settlement of Judea and Samaria must continue, with new communities established. But this should be done as part of a calculated policy, rather than as a response to the murder. And this is just one example of what the policy should include. The advance of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the successes of Islamic rebels in Syria, and the terrorist attacks in Cairo necessitate a review of our relations with our Arab neighbors, including Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority. Israel must mercilessly respond to the killing of the teens with strength and determination, but this cannot be a substitute for policy. Shas MK Eli Yishai is the chairman of the Homefront Preparedness Subcommittee and a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
